Blockheads were out in full force this weekend! Over 15,000 people braved Melbourne’s gloomy weather to attend the open for inspection yesterday alone.
There certainly are some dedicated Blockheads out there. The first person in line had been there since 3pm Friday!
In a smart move after the popularity of their polished concrete feature walls on The Block Sky High, Matt from Matt and Kim, has launched a new business.
He wants to make polished concrete finishes both contemporary and affordable. He said: “Until now, renders such as Cement Glassface and Venetian Plaster have been exclusive to the high end market only. There is no logical reason for this. A feature wall in polished render can often be cheaper than wallpaper, tiles or timber clad. The results are more spectacular, more modern, and more durable.”
Alisa and Lysandra’s bedroom looked so much better second time around, impressing the judges. It was my favourite of the re-do rooms. Darren Palmer called it “a gazillion times better than before'” and Shaynna said their apartment was one of the most saleable homes she’d seen in a long time.
Love their look? Pick up the Emma Cleine Lumiere Art + Co print, bedside lamp, pendant light and more online from The Block Shop. I’m a big fan of that pendant ($335)!
Whether you call it a loggia, a covered terrace or an outdoor room, Matt & Kim had the winning one last night. It was an exciting final Sunday night reveal, with the second chance rooms also unveiled. It marked the end of the renovations at The Block Sky High and 75 rooms made over in 8 weeks. Wowee!
The judges went gaga over Matt and Kim’s terrace. Neale called it incredible, Shaynna loved the ‘Austin Powers’ fireplace and they all loved the way everything could be controlled from an ipad app. Neale even said the penthouse was now on level 2, a little awkward when relayed to the other contestants!
And for June 2013, half of them are Block-related!
Applications are open for The Block 2013 (which is ironic, seeing as they’re now open for 2014!)
10 places to buy affordable art (I think it’s time for an updated 2013 version of this post!)
The artworks used by this series’ contestants have been some of the most asked-about products this year. Here are some of the pieces that may have caught your eye, now available to buy online.
Alisa & Lysandra’s Protea by Emma Cleine http://www.theblockshop.com.au/store/single/protea-print-series
Are you glued to your TV every Sunday night for room reveal? Are you a Blockhead? Do you think you could do better than most of the contestants? Might be time to put your money where your mouth is and apply for next year’s show!
Applications are now open for The Block 2014. Teams of 2 must be aged 18 to 25 and available for 10 weeks of filming between November (2013) and January. The location is yet to be revealed but applications are being taken from across Australia.
Guidelines and requirements
Every week, you ask me where you can buy things you’ve seen on The Block’s Sunday night room reveals. Well today I’m giving you the chance to win Matt and Kim’s gorgeous dining table, worth almost $4,000, from last night’s winning room!
He just sold it, reportedly for around a million bucks after spending five months renovating himself (trust me, I know Darren and there was a lot of hard work!). Want to have a look for yourself and play judge the judge?! See the pictures and video at ninemsn here.
Good, affordable lighting can be hard to come across in this country. If you want to buy online, even harder. I’ve heard Bunnings have some cool stuff going on at the moment, which I must check out, and I’ve been pretty impressed with Beacon too, having seen a lot of their stuff on The Block. What do you think of their latest limited edition Stockholm range, which is only available online? It’s all made from natural timber.
These natural wood pendants are $795.
Last night was the most impressive room reveal so far if you ask me. What did you think of the couples’ kitchens? If you liked what you saw, read on to find out which products and finishes the contestants chose from Freedom Kitchens, so you can shop the look yourselves. I don’t think the photos do them justice as much as seeing them on the TV. You can watch videos on The Block website.
Trixie and Johnno’s winning kitchen
Seems the viewing public weren’t happy with the choice of winner, with some serious bitching and calls of a fix on The Block’s Facebook page (it can get pretty vicious over there!) last night. Trixie upset many viewers by saying she’d like to dress the twins up as pigs (on account of them police officers) which many said was disrespectful.
Trixie and Johnno featured Newbury Satin Heartwood Laminex, Alaskan Gloss Crème Brulee and Caesarstone Frosty Carrina with 40mm edge.
Judges’ verdict? Designed exactly for the way people live their lives, perfect for the penthouse!
Jen’s verdict: I thought it was safe and neutral in a classy way, but not very exciting. I’m a bit over vertical gardens too. LOVED the lights though.
Alisa and Lysandra’s kitchen
Did you love Alisa and Lysandra’s winning master bedroom and walk-in last night? I did, especially the tub in the walk-in, but then I have a very soft spot for a good bath! I thought the concrete wallpaper in their bedroom was pretty cool. It’s by Piet Boon from Safari Living. Buy it here. $330 a roll.
If you loved the glitzy chandelier from the twins’ bathroom reveal last week, you can buy that here for $469.
So, what did we all think of last night’s room reveal? I thought it was seriously impressive! Not one but two bathrooms completed by all the couples in one week. It would have been a tough call for the judges but I called it on Twitter when I guessed it’d be either Bec and George or twins Alisa and Lysandra, and blow me down, they tied!
There wasn’t much I didn’t like about any of the bathrooms and the judges were also very generous with their praise. But the steam room drama was the talk of the week and I’m glad Trixie and Johnno went ahead and revealed theirs despite promising the twins they wouldn’t. They didn’t knowingly copy and after being accused of lying again in the “fluffy roller” scandal, I think I would have done the same! Thanks goodness the girls were winners this week though, or there surely would have been steam coming out of their ears (pun intended)!
Did you watch the bedhead challenge earlier in the week?
Contestants on the very first series of The Block a decade ago, Gavin Atkins and Warren Sonin, otherwise known as Gav and Waz (and The Designer Boys), have come a long way. And despite moving to Byron to enjoy a simpler life, they’ve never been busier.
Still working as interior designers for private clients, in the last 4 years, it is their wholesale art business, Designer Boys Collections, that has really taken off.
‘’We had always been successful at buying, renovating and selling properties together in Sydney and then we were selected for The Block in 2003 and it literally changed our lives forever,” said Gavin “The executive producers obviously realised that we had a talent for interior decorating and renovation and that we had (and still have) a very solid relationship.’’
Realising the opportunity to capitalise on their popularity, the first same-sex couple to appear on Australian reality TV started their business, Designer Boys, as soon as the show wrapped up. Initially, they focused on styling properties for sale, racking up more than 750 properties in less than 3 years! “The hands-on experience we garnered was just what we needed to take the business to the next level, where we focused largely on interior design and decoration for commercial and private projects.’’
When I grow up (and am no longer saving to pay for a wedding) I’m going to invest in a piece of Andrew O’Brien’s art. I just love it and his latest works are no exception. What do you think?
You may recognise the Melbourne-based artist’s style from the last couple of series of The Block, where contestants Dan and Dani used his work extensively.
Sunday night room reveals are the best bit about the The Block. No challenges, just renovating, room reveals, judging and results. Hoorah! The long and drawn out scoring process aside, what’s not to like?
Last night’s was a great episode, with Matt and Kim’s Pollock-inspired bedroom described as both “a crime scene” and the most controversial room in the show’s history. Kudos to them for getting such a reaction! I thought their design was wholly inappropriate but admired their bravery and they definitely executed their ideas really well and with enthusiasm. Easy for me to say as an armchair critic…
I think Bec and George were probably the right couple to win, although I loved parts of Trixie and Johnno’s room too, in particular their Bonnie and Neil wall tiles. I can’t believe none of the judges had seen them before; I’ve been loving them for months and wishing I wasn’t renting so I could use them somewhere! I like the twins but I wasn’t a fan of last night’s bedroom. Next week will be interesting with two bathrooms each to complete. I do love a good bathroom reno so looking forward to those!
Five couples, six floors and 80 rooms adds up to a rather larger than usual new series of The Block, starting this Sunday on Nine.
Couples from each state are competing as they transform a former Melbourne hotel. They each face the daunting challenge of converting a floor of the tired building into a high-end, house-sized apartment. It’s sure to be very different to the recent All Stars’ heritage homes in Bondi.
In just 10 weeks they must “demo and reno” more than 80 rooms and transform each floor of the hotel into a 220-square metre luxury apartment complete with 3 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, open plan kitchen, living and dining, plus a huge enclosed terrace. Can you imagine?!
The last 46 years have seen Barbara Hermon become a household name synonymous with style, quality and the best of interior design.
This year, Melbourne institution Hermon&Hermon celebrates 23 years on top, but inside the fickle and often foreboding world of retail, perhaps Barbara’s most impressive accomplishment is the mere fact that she is still an ever-present force among her fellow design enthusiasts, pushing the boundaries to create trends whilst simultaneously avoiding them.
Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting with Barbara to discuss the logistics behind her longevity. “Passion, resilience and determination are the most important things,” she told me.
After moving to Melbourne, she began working for Trade Action and, in 1972, became the homewares and jewellery buyer for Handicrafts of Asia. “I travelled to developing countries; Pakistan, Ethiopia and India, and discovered many incredible handmade, one-off pieces. My experience being a buyer was invaluable and gave birth to my passion for quality handmade products and natural fibres.’’